Celebrate Sweet Corn Days Aug. 2-5

August 1, 2012

If you're wondering what to do this weekend, why not do what a lot of people from around the country are doing - celebrating Sweet Corn Days this Thursday through Sunday in Estherville.

Yes, a number of folks from around the country - some former Estherville residents, some not - are coming here to celebrate the four, big days of events.

And here's just a brief rundown:

Today, Thursday, there's the Presentation of the Flames at 5:15 p.m. at North Riverside Park followed by the Burning of the Cobs at 5:45 p.m. followed by smores.

The Downtown Market will be 5-7 p.m. in Library Square with a kickoff party at Woody's Pizza at 6 p.m. From 6-8 p.m. the Corny Carp Competition will be held at North Riverside Park.

Friday events start at 5:30 p.m. with the family picnic at First Ave. N. on Library Square. Enjoy a ribeye steak sandwich, chips and drink for $7.50 a person or hot dog, chips and drink for $5.

The Black Knights Car Club will hold a cruise-in 5:30-8 p.m. on North Sixth Street. The Sweet Cars Cruise will leave on a special route at 7 p.m.

The Little Miss and Mr. Sweet Corn pageant will be at 6 p.m. on the Library Square stage with kids games following at 6:45.

Ole and Lena will make a special appearance at 7:30, also in Library Square, followed by a hypnotist show 8-9:30 p.m.

Fireworks will be held after dark followed by an outdoor movie, "Mirror Mirror" in Courthouse Square. Hypnosis After Dark will be at 10:30 at the MT Vault. Presale tickets are $8 or $10 at the door.

Saturday events start with the Run for the Cob starting 7-7:45 a.m. at the MT Vault. Registration is 4-6 p.m. Friday.

Art in the Park will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Library Square.

The Sweet Corn Days parade will start at 10:30 a.m. on Central Avenue. Look for food vendors all day in the Town Square area with free sweet corn after the parade on North Seventh Street.

The Black Knights will hold their Sweet Cars Show noon to 4 p.m. on North Sixth Street.

Other Saturday fun includes inflatables in Courthouse Square from noon to 4 p.m., the rock wall at First Avenue North noon to 4 p.m., the barrel train from noon to 4 p.m. on First Avenue and Seventh Street North and Mr. Twister from noon to 2:30 p.m. in Library Square.

The Corn Hole (bean bag) tournament will be held at 3 p.m. at Thoreson Park. Also at 3 p.m. are water fights on North Seventh Street and the Duck Derby at Riverside Park.

The disc golf tournament will be held at 4 p.m. at Joe Hoye Park and St. Patrick's will have a corn-fed beef barbecue, auction and raffle 5-7 p.m. at the Duhigg Center on Ninth and Central.

If dancing is for you, there's the youth dance from 9 p.m. to midnight at Estherville Fire Hall with the street dance from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on North Seventh Street.

Sunday events start with a golf tournament at 8 a.m. at Estherville Golf Course. A community worship service will be held at 11 a.m. with a fun float on the west fork of the Des Moines at 1 p.m. Floaters can meet at the swinging bridge in North Riverside Park.

This is Estherville's big event of the year, so don't miss out. And tell your out-of-town friends to come to Sweet Corn Days this Thursday through Sunday.